Hi, and welcome to the state right pronunciation course. Lesson number one. Okay, this is just the start of many more lessons to come. We will be diving deep into variety of pronunciation features to help you to improve your pronunciation. Each week, you will notice that there is a new lesson and new practice activities for you. But we're going to focus on the content for this week only.

So lesson one, we are going to be focusing on plural endings. Plural endings is very important, because oftentimes, it is the most difficult feature for English language learners to be able to pronounce. For whatever reason, oftentimes, language learners don't hear the sound and so it's different For them to reenact and to produce that, sir. And other times, you as a language learner may think that you're producing these sounds, but your listener doesn't hear. And that's a problem. Because it's important, it can definitely change the meaning of whatever it is that you're trying to express.

So this is why we're going to focus on this in this lesson. All right. Now, when we talk about plural endings, we're going to be focusing both on our nouns, as well as that third person singular verb. All right, so let's get started. First, let's review a few things that you should be familiar with from learning in your grammar classes. I know what is a noun?

Well, I hope you said that a noun is a person, place or thing because That's exactly what it is. Okay? For example, dog school, beach students, teacher, Sky stars, son, Earth. These are all what we call naps. So anytime you have a word that is a person, a place or a thing, we refer to it as a noun. Now, nouns come into forms, we have the singular form of a noun, as well as the plural form of a noun.

For example, dog is singular, we are referring to one, the moment we add an s to that word, dogs becomes plural. So hopefully you are familiar with this, because this is really important in order for you to be able to distinguish those endings. Okay? So let's start talking about those ending sounds. Yes. All right.

So first and foremost, I have three words here in singular form. Do you know how to make these nouns plural? I hope you said yes. And I hope you said that toy becomes toys. Watch becomes watches and party becomes parties. Yes, these are the three endings that you can use to make a singular noun plural.

So singular nouns can be converted into plural nouns by simply adding an S and E s, or dropping the y and adding IE s. Okay, so let's look at that again. So, in For this example, toy, became toys. All we needed to do was add an s for this one because it ends in a CH we have to add the suffix s. Now, party becomes parties because anytime you have a Y, you must drop the Y ad I before adding the E s. Okay. And that is how we get toys, watches and parties. So, a little tip it's a spelling tip. Anytime you have a noun that ends in a Y and you want to make it plural go ahead and drop the y and add IE s as for pronunciation, it's super simplistic.

The sound is ease. Let me do that again. Ease parties. It is a long drawn outsell so anytime you have that y drop the Y at IE s and the sound is ease. Okay, so let me repeat this one more time. Toys, watches and parties, toys, watches and parties.

Okay, so the next thing we want to take a look at when we're working with our plurals is, how in the world do we know the proper pronunciation for our plural endings? Well, there are three possible Pura endings for our nouns, as well as our plural, our third person singular verbs, not plural, their person singular. Now, the sound will always be determined by the final consonant, so the consonant that goes before the s. Okay, so for example, in this word, we have an S, right? But we also have a final consonant. That final consonant right there is going to tell me what pronunciation or what sound I should create for that ending s. Okay? All right.

So let's, let's go through all of these and talk a little bit more about this extensively. Okay, so, what exactly are those three possible ending sounds? The three possible ending sounds include and as. Okay, let's do that again. As Yes, okay. So how in the world do you know When to produce a as well, I gave you the answer I told you, it's determined by the final consonant before the s. And so here is the trick.

Okay? Listen and pay attention closely because if you memorize this tip, I promise you, you won't make a mistake again. Practice the tip, you won't make a mistake again. Alright, so, in order to pronounce at the end of a noun or a third person singular verb, your final consonant sound should be. These are called voiceless sounds. They are called voiceless sounds because there is no vibration in the world.

Now if you take your hand and you put it on your throat, and I'm going to go up here, okay? And repeat after me. Hopefully you didn't feel any movement. If you did feel movement, you probably are pronouncing that word those sounds incorrectly. Okay? those sounds are voiceless sounds.

So therefore, when you pronounce a word with a final consonant of put took a foot and you have an asset then it's going to be okay, let's go to the column. These are the consonants that will produce a sound. Alright, we have the de dah, dah. Oh, And there's more. There's always more. That's why there's etc.

But these are just some examples. Now, why in the world do these producer sound? These producer sound because they're considered to be voiced sounds. So what does that mean? Take your hand, put it on your throat and produce the sounds and you will feel vibration in your vocal cords. book the go.

Mmm hmm. Did you feel that? Those are what we call voice sounds. And because of that vibration in your vocal cords, your S is going to be this is gonna sound like okay, this is also for vowels. So anytime you have a word that ends in a vowel and you add an s to it, Make sure you pronounce that s as. All right now, let's go to as, okay, as for as the list is very short, if you have a final consonant of x, Joe and Sir, you need to pronounce me.

Okay? Again x Joe as Alright, let's get some examples because examples always makes everything a lot more or a lot less complicated and a lot more. Ah brings a lot more clarity. Yes, shall we say? Okay, so here's some examples. We have books Max packs.

Backs okay. So you see that these end in a k A p th right. So there's your your put Tucker saw. All right. Repeat after me and make sure you say this out loud because this is pronunciation. It doesn't work in your brain.

You have to train your your mouth and your tongue to produce these thoughts. Okay, so here we go. Repeat after me. Books. Map. packs, backs.

Great job. Great job. Okay, let's move to the column. All right, here we go. Bags loves Rise. And we're going to stop there.

Yes. All right. So as you see the consonants the final consonant before the s is a good. And the final consonant is a verb. Now, remember, let's take a look at this word right here. Loves.

Remember that he is silent. Okay? That is not the final sound you hear. Remember, it's always about the final consonant sound. Okay? Always the sound.

Do not go by the letter what you see, pronunciation is not about the letter. It's about the sound that you hear. So this E is silent. So therefore, the only thing you hear is that B right there, right. All right. So let me write this on the screen so you can see it silent E. So the final consonant is have the right now, that doesn't fall under a voiceless sound via is a voice sound.

Okay? It goes here. Remember that's part of the excetera. All right. So therefore you need to produce a sound. Now, as for this word right here is a vowel sound, right?

Has a vowel so therefore, it's a voiced sound. All right. Okay. Repeat after me. bags. Make sure you get that.

You see, see my lips. Okay, bags, loves cries. There's a huge difference between which is very soft and which is not all right. Here we go. last column, last column for practice. We have in the EDS column class says watches, boxes, p says and that is languages which unfortunately it's cut off here, but no problem.

I have my heavy duty pen and I will add it for you. Okay, so let's add the s there. Okay, so languages Yes. Okay, so this is an s sound. And again, you can see it follows the blueprint for these sounds here. Alright, so now go on ahead and repeat after me class.

Says watch says, box says p says languages. Listen to that sound again. Like my tongue languages, again, languages. P says. box says what says class says okay now you're going to get that sound. Gone.

Do a smile. I know you feel silly but it's okay. We will look silly together. Okay. That's how you get the edges. All right.

Okay, great job. You did a great job practicing here. Now let's test your knowledge Practice is the key to perfection. Okay. So this is what we're going to do. I'm going to put a word on the screen.

I will say the word two times, I want you to decide what ending sound the S make. Is it a, c? Or s? Give you a few seconds to decide. And then I'm going to review the answer. Listen, don't be nervous.

You can do it. You smarter than you think. And also say it out loud as you go along. Remember, the more you practice, the better you become. production is key for learning any language. And if you're trying to improve your pronunciation, you have to say it out loud.

You can't do it in your brain. Okay, are we ready for the first one? I'm ready. I'm excited for you. You got this. You're super smart.

All right, here we go. Number one Okay, now, if you need to get a piece of paper, go ahead and get a piece of paper ready. And you may want to write the word out. You may want to jot down your your answers, because I'm going to go through and I'm going to give you the answer after reading it two times. Okay? All right, here we go.

Number one, Saturday's Saturday, the Saturday. All right, is it a or as sound? If you said, You are correct Saturdays, they end with a final consonant of why, and that is a voiced consonant so it produces a sound for the s. Okay? Let's move on. Number two bananas. Bananas.

Bananas are as is correct. It ends in a vowel sound. Remember all vowel sounds preceded by your S ending is going to produce the sound. Bananas. It's not bananas. No, no bananas.

All right, here we go number three shakes, shakes, shakes Is it a or as a I hope you said because it is. Remember silent E. So the final consonant sound you hear is a and that is a voiceless consonant. All right, let's keep it going. Number four passes, passes. passes or as. As is correct.

You have a final consonant of and so you have to add e S. Anytime you have a word that ends in an S, you add s and therefore, the plural ending sound is S. Okay, let's keep going. Number five streets streets streets Is it a or as? Oh, okay, I hope you said because is your final consonant which is a voiceless consonant. Alright, this is your last opportunity to practice. Okay, so, let this be a testament to your stupendous pronunciation skill. All right, here we go.

Number six, Dan says Dan says then says hopefully you said as yes you are correct, congrats. lations you have successfully completed Lesson One of say upright pronunciation. I really want to thank you for joining us for lesson one. And I will see you really really soon for lesson two. We have some great things. Now go on ahead and complete the practice assignment that I have uploaded for you.

And don't forget to complete your voice sport. That will be your opportunity to practice your pronunciation. All right, I will see you again soon. Bye.